Pain Management Health Center

Prevent Foot Pain: 6 Steps

When it comes to feet, Americans seem to think pain is normal.

Eight of 10 people responding to a 2009 survey from the American Podiatric Medical Association reported having at least one foot ailment in the past year. More than half complained of heel pain. Others were crying "Ouch!" because of blisters, corns, pinched nerves, and ingrown toenails.

"Foot pain isn't normal, and yet people put up with it," says Dennis Frisch, DPM, a podiatrist in Boca Raton, Fla., and an APMA spokesman.

About 35% of those who reported heel pain in the survey, for instance, said they had it for two years or longer.

There are some age-related changes in our feet that can make pain more likely. But painful feet aren't inevitable with age, Frisch says.

If you follow six simple steps -- some obvious, others often overlooked -- chances are good you'll sail through life with comfortable, pain-free feet.

Here, Frisch and a fellow podiatrist, Jeffrey A. Ross, DPM, MD, a spokesman for the American College of Sports Medicine, associate clinical professor of medicine and chief of the diabetic foot clinic at Ben Taub Hospital, Houston, share their tips.

1. Pay Attention to Hygiene and Pedicures

Feet are easy to ignore, especially in cooler months when they're often in closed-toe shoes or boots. But a little attention can go a long way toward comfort, Frisch says.

''Make sure you cut toenails straight across" to avoid ingrown nails, Frisch says.

Moisturize dry skin on the foot when it's cracked to keep feet comfortable, Frisch says, and to help ward off infections when bacteria enter through cracked skin.  

"If you go to a pedicurist, be sure the shop is clean and take your own tools," Frisch says. Pedicure tools are widely sold at beauty supply stores and at some nail salons.

If a shop recommends you bring your own tools, that's a good sign, he says, indicating they are aware of the importance of good hygiene standards.

2. Be Alert to Age-Related Changes

Expect your foot to change as the years go by, Frisch says. Although the timing varies from person to person, changes in the 40s and 50s are typical, he says.

"With age, we lose some of our fat pads [on the bottom of the foot] and cushioning," Frisch says. That might mean wearing sturdier shoes, he says.

Arthritic changes can set in, Frisch says. The toes may bend or contract more, and the nails may be thicker, making you more prone to ingrown toenails.

Be alert for problems such as hammertoes, in which the middle joint bends down and the toes begin to look deformed; or for bunions, bony bumps at the base of the big toe that can be painful. These conditions may appear or worsen with age.

"Foot size can change as you get older," Frisch says. Generally feet get longer and wider as the tendons loosen, he says. Don't be surprised if your shoe size changes, and be sure to get feet measured when you buy shoes.